DESCRIPTION: Program: This is a competing renewal for the long- standing training program in adult communicative disorders based at the Aphasia Research Center at the Boston VAMC and Boston University School of Medicine. The principal investigator requests funds for the 4 postdoctoral trainees as well as 2 pre-doctoral trainees. The "heart" of the post-doctoral training is a Mentor/Apprentice program in which senior preceptors act as mentors to post-doctoral trainees in a one-on-one setting. The post-doctoral trainees conduct original research in the area of expertise of their preceptor. Additionally, post-doctoral trainees attend formal lectures as well as a series of clinical and basic science teaching conferences, clinical ward rounds and regularly scheduled research methodology group meetings. Post-doctoral trainees will audit courses in the Ph.D. program in Behavioral Neuroscience. Pre-doctoral training, which represents a new component to the training program, will be delivered in the context of the Behavioral Neuroscience doctoral program or "Ph.D. programs closely affiliated with the Aphasia Research Center." Trainees will complete the course requirements of their Ph.D. program and will also work closely on a research project with at least one preceptor from the Aphasia Research Center. This program has produced a total of 36 post-doctoral trainees, a high proportion of whom have gone on to careers in research and training in the field of adult communicative disorders.